Currently, material recovery facilities, which handle the separation and recycling of waste material, such as paper, plastic, glass, metal, etc., do not want consumers to recycle flexible plastic packages, especially stand-up pouches used primarily to package food items, even when such packages are made from a single recyclable polymer. The reason for this is that such packages, when empty, acquire a relatively flat, two dimensional shape. In the separation process, three dimensional plastic recyclable objects, such as plastic bottles and plastic caps, are sorted from two dimensional objects, such as sheets of paper, newspaper, etc. by using an inclined conveyor. As the recyclable material is transported up the inclined conveyor, the 3-dimensional plastic objects, i.e. plastic bottles and plastic caps, will roll or fall down to the bottom of the conveyor. However, the two dimensional flat items, such as 8.5×11 inch sheets of paper, newspaper, and the flat plastic packages, especially stand-up pouches, will stay on the conveyor and be transported up and into a storage bind. In this case, the relatively flat plastic packages end up being collected with the paper rather than with the 3-dimensional plastic bottles. This results in the flat plastic packages contaminating the paper.
The need to be able to recycle flat plastic packages, especially stand-up pouches, is a growing concern primarily because of the large quantity of material that is involved. A solution to this problem could reap huge economic rewards and also create an environmentally friendly solution. Flexible plastic packages now represent the fastest growing sector in the packaging industry. Today, a majority of the flexible, stand-up plastic pouches found in the market are made from polyethylene (PE) film (mono or coex) laminated with another material to provide stiffness or other desired properties. Often this other material is polyethylene terephthalate (PET). There are also other structures where polypropylene (PP) and/or aluminum foil, and/or polyamides (nylon) are used. All of these materials are capable of being recycled.
It should be noted that flexible, stand-up plastic pouches made from multi-polymer films are not currently recyclable. However, there has been a concerted effort by resin manufacturers to develop a single polymer film for use in the production of flexible plastic packages that has the potential to be recycled. As of today, Dow Chemical Company has developed a single polymer film for use in making flexible, stand-up plastic pouches and has filed for patent protection. However, the above described problem of sorting such empty stand-up pouches from relatively flat sheets of paper and newspapers still remains.
Now, a flexible package having a recyclable closure has been invented which facilitates the separation of relatively flat flexible packages, especially those constructed from plastic, from other flat material, especially paper, on an inclined conveyor belt.